Snow
by Starrmyst
Summary: It's Christmas Eve and Garcia tries to convince Morgan to leave their decorating party early to make his flight to Chicago. Does he make it? My submission for the 2012 Gift exchange. Written as a gift for IwouldrockJoshuaJacksonsWorl d. Merry Christmas everyone!


**2012 Christmas Gift Fic Exchange Assignment**

My assigned song title prompt and 3 prompts are: Santa Baby; mistletoe, snow and ornaments  
This is a gift for : IwouldrockJoshuaJacksonsWorl d

Wishing you all a very Merry Christmas!

Christmas Eve 2012

Pulling back the curtain, Penelope Garcia bit her lower lip as she watched more snow fall, covering the already white roads. During the last few hours the weather had changed so dramatically that the radio station was actually warning people to stay inside. Derek Morgan refused to listen to her when Penelope insisted that he leave after dropping off the tree this morning. She tried to convince him to take an earlier flight back home to Chicago.

"Don't worry Mama, I'll be fine. Let's finish decorating this tree." Derek assured Penelope as he handed her one of the antique ornaments.

Penelope knew he wasn't going to budge so she held out her hand for the ornament he had in his hand. "Ohhh this one is my favorite. It used to be my Grandmere's." Penelope smiled as she fondly remembered her grandmother.

She had a story for each one of the glass ornaments. Some of the memories were happy but some brought a tear to her eye which Derek promptly wiped before they rolled down her cheeks.

"You ready mama? I'm gonna plug her in." Derek called out from behind the tree.

"Oh Derek, It's beautiful." Penelope cried at the sight of the completed tree.

Derek walked over to Penelope and took her into his arms. "Not as beautiful as you, but pretty damn close!" he said placing a kiss on the top of her head.

Penelope glowed from the compliment, considering that the tree was the most stunning one she had ever seen. But more than that, it was being in Derek's arms that made her feel so wonderful. Granted he didn't feel the same way for her but he did love her and that was good enough for her.

Wiping the last tear from her eye, Penelope turned around and pushed at Derek's chest. "Okay buster, you need to get you cute little tush out of here and off to the airport. I don't want Mama Morgan to blame me if you don't make Christmas on time."

"Okay, okay." Derek conceded, holding up both his hands. "I'll go. Now I know how you really feel about me." He teased.

As Derek got his stuff together and put them in his car, Penelope made him a cup of her special hot chocolate to take with him. "Is that your famous hot cocoalicioius?" he asked as he wrapped his arms around her.

Nodding, she held it up to him so he could inhale the sweet aroma. "It's your reward for getting me the perfect tree. You're always so good to me." Planting a big wet kiss on his check, Penelope told him that she was going to miss him.

"Me too, baby girl." Kissing her on the forehead, Morgan wishes her a Merry Christmas.  
"I better get going. The snow seems to be getting worse."

"I know." she responded squeezing him tighter.

"Baby Girl."

"I know."

Finally breaking apart, Derek put his jacket on and headed out the door. "Love you mama."

"Love you too Sweet Cheeks." Penelope called out as he walked to the car. "Promise me that you'll stay safe."

Derek opened his door and waved before he got in. "I promise. See you in a couple of days."

"I'll miss you, my chocolate thunder." Penelope whispered to herself as she blew him a kiss.

MGMGMGMGMGMGMMGMGMMGMGMGMGMG MGM

The radio station warned travellers to call before heading to the airport as many flights were already cancelled. Worry began to creep across her forehead for her Chocolate Adonis. Would he be safe? Would he get to the airport on time? Would they let him leave?

To get her mind off the weather, Penelope decided to make some cookies. She collected all the ingredients and placed it on the table along with a bowl, mixer and baking tray. "Just one more thing," she said out loud before walking over to the radio. She found the station that played only Christmas music.

"Now I can get to work." She muttered to herself as she reached for the butter to cream. Singing along with the music, Penelope measured the rest of the ingredients to make shortbread cookies.

_Santa baby, slip a sable under the tree, for me  
I've been an awful good girl  
Santa baby, and hurry down the chimney tonight_

_Santa baby, an out-of-space convertible too, light blue  
I'll wait up for you dear  
Santa baby, and hurry down the chimney tonight_

Rolling out the dough, Penelope decided to make stars. "This one is for Jack and this really pointy one is for Hotch."

"And which one for me Mama?"

Spinning around she saw Derek, leaning up against the door frame of the kitchen. "Oh my God, Derek what happened?"

"You were right Mama, I should have left earlier. They cancelled my flight."

Brushing the flour off on her apron, Penelope looked sadly at Derek. "I'm sorry sugar."

"I'm not." Derek responded definitively.

"You're not?"

Shaking his head, he walked over to Penelope and took her into his arms, "It's about time I admit that I was hoping to be snowed in."

Penelope's heart began to flutter as she wondered what he meant. "Oh?"

Derek flashed her his 100 watt smile. "Baby Doll, you and I have salsa'd around this for years and it's about time one of us stepped up to the plate. Maybe I purposely sabotaged my trip home so that I could spend the holidays in the warm embrace of my girl."

"Your girl?" Penelope whispered.

"Yes Mama, you are my girl. You are the first thing I think about in the morning and the last thing I think about before I go to sleep. And in between, we are on phone talking about everything in our lives. When I'm away from you, I'm counting the minutes until I return to your arms."

"I miss you too sugar when my little poppets are away from the nest."

"Baby Girl, we're talking about some deep feelings here. I know that you care about the whole team but what you feel for me….well hell I can see it written all over your face. You love me more than just as a friend. Tell me the truth Garcia. Do you feel the same for me as I do about you?"

Penelope shrugged her shoulders. "That depends."

"On what?"

"Do you love me and want to spend every day with me?" she asked timidly as she hid her face in his chest.

Taking a deep breath, Derek sensed that Penelope was on the edge. He had to tell her the truth no matter what the consequences were. Shaking his head Derek reached down to tilt Garcia's chin up. Looking into her eyes, he could see the uncertainty lining those gorgeous blue eyes. "I'm sorry Mama, I love you but I don't want to spend every day with you."

"I see." She replied putting her head back down. He sensed that she wanted to pull away. He could feel her back stiffen in his arms but instead of letting her go, he began to rub circles on her back.

"No, I don't think that you really see. Penelope Garcia, I don't want to spend the day with you….I want to spend the rest of my life with you. I want to spend every waking moment with you and every non-waking moment beside you. I love you, Baby Girl. Please say that you'll be mine."

He could hear her breath stop. "Penelope?"

"Ye..yah..Uhmm."

"Make me the happiest man on earth and let me love you as a man should love a woman."

When she didn't answer, Derek shifted her in his arms and then cleared his throat. Whispering endearments and raining kisses along her neck and up to that soft spot behind her ear, he encouraged her to look up. "Come on Penelope, please look at me."

Taking a deep breath, Penelope slowly lifted her head and looked into Derek's eyes. They twinkled with such promise. Promise to experience all the things she had been dreaming of since she met Derek Morgan. This was the man of her dreams, but could he really want her?

In answer to her silent question, she watched as Derek raised his left hand above the two of them. Grasped between his fingers was a sprig of fresh mistletoe that he now dangled above their heads. Smiling she placed her hands around Derek's neck as a response to his own silent question. Leaning into each other, Derek placed his lips on hers until you couldn't see where one set of lips began and the other ended, separating only when it became necessary to breath.

"Wow!

"Wow yourself Mama. And that was the real reason that I planned to miss my flight. I just couldn't leave my Baby Girl alone on Christmas."

"But what about Mama Morgan?"

"Mama Morgan has been telling me for weeks that unless I brought you home not to bother coming. I guess Mom knows better than we do."

"But you're missing Christmas!"

Walking over to the couch and pulling Penelope into his lap, Derek just chuckled. "Sweet pea, this is what Christmas is all about; being with the woman you love….and I love you Baby Girl. There is nowhere else I need or want to be. Now darlin' we've got some lovin' to catch up on especially since I've rebooked my flight to tomorrow at noon so we can both go see my mom."

Squealing, Penelope wrapped her arms around her man. Her man! While she had lots to do before they had to leave for the airport, she wanted to savour this moment. Everything had been perfect, even the snow. The most beautiful, perfect snow fall, a stunning tree full of antique ornaments, a tiny sprig of mistletoe and her most favorite gift of all times. Her very own Derek Morgan!

As he nibbled on her ear, she thanked Santa for coming down the chimney…or the front door tonight. Catching his lips against hers, Penelope knew that no matter what comes next; today was certainly the **best** Christmas ever for both of them. She couldn't wait to see how they'd spend the New Year's celebration now that they had finally admitted their true feelings for each other. Maybe she'd pray for another snow storm!

Wishing everyone a very Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!


End file.
